


The Clumsiest Dream Eater

by merryfortune



Category: Yes!プリキュア５ | Yes! Precure 5, ヒーリングっど♥プリキュア | Healin' Good Pretty Cure (Anime)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Mundane Magic, Chronic Illness, Fluff, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Youkai
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-24
Updated: 2020-12-24
Packaged: 2021-03-11 03:01:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,307
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28278057
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/merryfortune/pseuds/merryfortune
Summary: Nodoka gets a visit from the clumsiest Dream Eater and makes a friend in her.
Relationships: Hanadera Nodoka | Cure Grace & Yumehara Nozomi | Cure Dream
Comments: 2
Kudos: 10





	The Clumsiest Dream Eater

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Yanmazu](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yanmazu/gifts).



> Written as part of the PreCure Secret Santa Exchange on Tumblr <3

Nodoka woke with panic when she heard a tray in her room, or something similar, clatter to the ground. It clanged over and over again on the ground, and Nodoka heard muttered fuss, as well.

Her heart raced and for good reason. She had just spent goodness knows how many hours, thrashing, hot and sweaty, against her bed but unable to wake up but now. For better or for worse, she was finally awake, and she could finally reef herself from the terrors of the nightmare that she was experiencing.

But as her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she caught a silhouette haloed by a faint, pink light.

“Oh, oops…?” a voice in the dark murmured.

Nodoka blinked. This was a private hospital room. There shouldn’t be anyone – not even a nurse – at this hour but here she was. She had gained some kind of company in the wee hours of the night and though she ought to be afraid. She wasn’t.

Staring at this figure who came a little bit closer, Nodoka felt calmed.

“Sorry to disturb you,” she said, “but it’s decided. A girl’s got to eat and you look _really_ tasty.”

“What?!” Nodoka exclaimed, her words feeling groggy.

The figure all but screamed back in fright, “Oh, no, I’m such a dummy, I didn’t mean it like that!” She thumped on her head and Nodoka saw more of what exactly made this girl and her teleportation into a locked hospital room unusual.

She had diamond-shaped ears atop her head, right in front of the tufted pigtails that she wore, tiny and tapir-like, Nodoka thought. She had tusks, too, on either side of her cheek like a huge smile. A cow-like tail whipped and thrashed about her in clumsy panic.

“Oh, I’m so sorry, I’m hear to eat your bad dreams.” The girl said. “My name is Nozomi and I’m a Baku, it’s good to meet you.”

Nodoka blinked. “Really?”

“Truly.” Nozomi smiled.

“thank you…” Nodoka whispered. “I was having a really scary dream, you know.”

“I can tell.” Nozomi replied quietly. “But I haven’t eaten your bad dream yet, I’m afraid. I was about to but ughhhh. I bumped into something and woke you up.”

She sashayed over to Nodoka and sat at her bedside. Nozomi pet the top of Nodoka’s head and she smiled.

“But don’t worry, I can still eat it. The vapours of it are still all around.” Nozomi explained.

Nodoka smiled with pinpricks of tears her eyes. She held onto her blanket, the softness of it was comforting.

“Still. Thank you.” Nodoka smiled a weary smile.

“It’s my pleasure.” Nozomi replied in what she hoped was a soft, comforting voice. (It was.)

Nozomi’s hand fell back from atop Nodoka’s fluffy bob of russet hair and took her head. She closed her eyes and the vapours of Nodoka’s nightmare became illuminated. They looked like petals, Nodoka thought. They fluttered around, haloed by pink light and it was beautiful. They shone like stars in the stagnant darkness of her hospital room and she smiled delightedly.

As she ate, Nozomi could tell that Nodoka was happy. That she was looking on with awe and wonder as Nozomi had Nodoka’s nightmares for a late-night snack. They held each other’s hands as one by one, the rose petals of light disappeared. Absorbed by Nozomi who nattered contentedly as she mulled over the various flavours of Nodoka’s fears. It was almost sad, Nodoka thought, as she watched the final rose petal disappear.

“Thank you for this meal.” Nozomi gurgled happily.

“Thank you for coming around.” Nodoka giggled.

Nozomi got to her feet and it sounded like hooves, truth be told, on the floorboards. She stretched herself left and then right. It was always good to exercise after a meal, or so the doctors said, Nodoka thought as she observed how Nozomi flexed. She then turned on her heel and flashed a huge smile.

“I best be going home now.” Nozomi said.

“What, no? I was… I was, um, hoping you could stay.” Nodoka said and she outreached her hand.

“Really, why?” Nozomi said.

Nodoka grew fidgety and she averted her gaze. Nozomi was very bright. “I-It’s – It’s, um, kind of like a pyjama party.” she confessed in a tiny voice.

Nozomi gasped. “Yeah, it is kinda.” She giggled.

Nodoka smiled awkwardly.

“Its against the rules for me to stay too long but I’ll let you in on a little secret.” Nozomi said and she came down to her knees at Nodoka’s bedside. She rested her chin in her hands on the bed and she gazed dotingly up at Nodoka. “Baku are good luck charms.”

“They are?” Nodoka asked.

“A-yup.” Nozomi chirruped. “So whilst I can’t stay long, I can make sure you have sweet dreams for all the rest of the night, if you like.”

“I’d appreciate that…” Nodoka replied.

“Okeydokey.”

Nozomi got up again but her hands, like paws, remained kneading on the bed side where Nodoka sat upright. She leaned in and pecked Nodoka’s forehead.

“Baku like me live deep in the forest and tonight, I hope you get to visit in your dreams.” Nozomi replied.

Nodoka blushed. There was a gentle glow atop her forehead, an echo of Nozomi’s kiss.

“I hope we’re able to hang out later, too.” Nozomi added.

Nodoka lifted her hand to her forehead, like she would if she was trying to gauge a fever. She was warm, she noted with a fuzzy feeling in her heart rather than an ominous one.

“Thank you, Nozomi, I’m glad to have met you.” Nodoka replied.

“I shouldn’t wish nightmares on people,” Nozomi erred, “but I hope we meet again soon.”

“Me too.” Nodoka replied but she laughed darkly. She knew that she had more bad dreams than good dreams, but it was strangely heartening to know they weren’t wasted, if it meant a Baku could eat…

“Good night, Nodoka, and sweet dreams too.” Nozomi whispered.

Nodoka yawned and her eyelids grew heavy. Her heart was calm. Contented. She didn’t want to fall back asleep. Not just yet but Nozomi waved her goodbye and just as she blinked, slowly, like in a trance, she fell back asleep. Her head hit the pillow and her last thoughts were of Nozomi. And that pink glow that Nozomi possessed dissipated, became not even a flicker on Nodoka’s closed eyelids as she succumbed to slumber.

Please don’t be dream, please don’t be a dream, please don’t be a delirium-

She missed Nozomi already, but she fell asleep and she dreamt of vast, bamboo valleys and tall mountains and yes, of Nozomi who played and talked with others of her kin. All of them were oxen-tailed and hoofed and with diamond-shaped, tapir ears. None of them saw Nodoka, she felt translucent even in the dream, but she enjoyed it, nonetheless. She could swear she felt the gentle zephyrs on her skin, and she could swear that she smelt the fresh, mountain air. It was lovely.

But like all dreams, Nodoka did awaken in the morning and she still remembered her otherworldly companion from the night before. She was roused by a nurse for her morning meal and the woman blinked.

“Did you sleep on your stomach, last night?” she asked.

“Huh? I don’t think so.” Nodoka replied.

“You have a mark on your forehead, is all.” the nurse explained.

Nodoka’s heart soared. Later, after breakfast, Nodoka looked in the mirror and beamed as she held back her fringe. Her gaze transfixed on that slightly curved mark of a faint pink that was on her forehead. It may have been feeble proof, but it was still proof. The balm that Nozomi used on her lips still remained on Nodoka’s forehead from where she had gifted her with a good, sweet dream of where the Baku like herself hailed.


End file.
